News Director departs KSSK

KSSK-FM 92.3/AM 590 News Director Damian Balinowski delivered his last news on the air yesterday.

Monday he begins a new job writing what's news in the air, as internal communications manager at Hawaiian Airlines. He'll be "keeping employees updated about what's going on in the company," through a newsletter and Hawaiian's Intranet, Balinowski said.

"It was time for a change, time to try something new," he said. "I've always had a passion for aviation and the airline industry in particular."

Balinowski had been in radio nearly 20 years, starting at KSSK in 2002 after moving here from his native Canada. He was promoted to news director in 2004 and to program director for news-talk sister-stations KHVH-AM 830 and KHBZ-AM 990 a year ago.

"My experience here has been totally rewarding. I've met a lot of awesome people, I've covered three presidential visits and I got to touch the B-2 stealth bomber without breaking it," he chuckled.

There was also "earthquake day," he said of the October 2006 Big Island earthquake that left Oahu without electricity.

"Those kinds of events really make or break careers and that was a positive for me ... to be able to serve the community in such a way."

Assistant KHVH and KHBZ Program Director Steven Norstrom will oversee those stations, while the News Director title has yet to land.

Chuck Cotton, the stations' vice president and general manager, was not ready to announce any new hires yesterday, but has said that "all the newscasts will be covered."

Sales clipping along

CreaClip was a hit on HSN.

The home hair-cutting guide invented by Honolulu hairstylist Mai Bandonis sold out during her three appearances on HSN last week -- and the shopping network has asked her to return.

She will be back on HSN at 10 p.m. April 1 and 8 a.m. April 2, Hawaii time.

CreaClip is a toothed clip that snaps onto hair and has a built-in level so a user can evenly trim their own hair or somebody else's hair. They sell in sets of two; one for bangs and one for longer hair.

Bandonis' appearances sold 3,350 units at $19.95 plus shipping and handling and left the HSN Web site with the words "Sold Out" in big red letters on the product's page. "They just ordered another 500," for online sales, she said.

Site-goers can watch video of one of her appearances in which she demonstrates the product on a model while the host raves about it.

"They want you to hit a certain (sales) number and I exceeded that number big-time," Bandonis said. "I'm really happy!"